Leonard Kesten and Erica Brody were honored by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly at a recent Leaders in the Law Dinner for their $11 million verdict, which was recognized as one of the top verdicts in Massachusetts in 2025. The jury’s decision in December of 2025 capped a protracted legal battle by Major Kathryn Downey, a 20-year veteran of the Massachusetts State Police, who first filed suit in 2018, claiming retaliation and gender discrimination. The case was initially dismissed in 2021 after summary judgment, but the appeals court reinstated Downey’s claims against the State Police last year, paving the way for a trial. After an eight day trial, jurors found that Downey suffered “emotional distress” and that discriminatory acts by the State Police were “intentional and reckless or recklessly indifferent”. They ordered the state to pay $10 million in punitive damages and $1 million in compensatory damages. The case is currently on appeal.